How to use pre_ping action in WordPress

pre_ping action

Fires just before pinging back links found in a post.

To use pre_ping action, first you have to register it using add_action. You can write this code into functions.php of your activated theme or in a custom WordPress Plugin.

We at Flipper Code, always prefer to create a custom WordPress Plugin while using hooks so nothing breaks when you update your WordPress Theme in the future.

In the below live example, we have defined a function execute_on_pre_ping_event which takes 3 parameters and we registered using add_action. The first parameter pre_ping is name of the hook, The second parameter execute_on_pre_ping_event is name of the function which need to be called, third parameter is the priority of calling the hook if same hook is used multiple times and the last parameter is the number of arguments (if any) to be passed in the registered function.

Sometime, you have to remove a registered hook so you can use remove_action to remove pre_ping action.

Parameters

Below are the 3 parameters are required to use this hook.

• $post_links : (string[]) Array of link URLs to be checked (passed by reference).
• $pung : (string[]) Array of link URLs already pinged (passed by reference).
• $post_ID : (int) The post ID.

Live Example

/**
 * Disables pingbacks from your own site.
 */
add_action( 'pre_ping', function ( &$post_links, &$pung, int $post_ID ) {
    foreach ( $post_links as $key => $link ) {
        if ( 0 === strpos( $link, home_url() ) ) {
            unset( $post_links[ $key ] );
        }
    }
}, 10, 3 );

Below is an example how you can use this hook.

                        function execute_on_pre_ping_event($post_links, $pung, $post_ID){
                           //You can write code here to be executed when this action occurs in WordPress. Use the parameters received in the function arguments & implement the required additional custom functionality according to your website requirements.
                           
                        }
                        // add the action
                        add_action( "pre_ping", "execute_on_pre_ping_event" , 10, 3);

To remove a hook callback, use the example below.

remove_action( "pre_ping", "execute_on_pre_ping_event", 10, 3 );

Please make sure provide the same callback function name, priority and number of arguments while removing the hook callback.

Flipper Code is a Premium WordPress Plugins development company and integrating new functionalites into WordPress sites in form of custom WordPress Plugins since 2012. If you’re having any trouble using this hook, please contact our WordPress Development Team and we’d be happy to assist you.